KSHB 41 anchor/reporter JuYeon Kim covers agricultural issues and the fentanyl crisis. Share your story idea with JuYeon.
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While the land is getting plenty of rainfall this week, the federal funding freezes are drying out farmers’ pockets.
The Trump administration has put a funding freeze on the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed by President Biden to invest in clean energy and solutions to climate change.
Now, many conservation programs and organizations that relied on funding from this act are uncertain whether or not they can continue their mission without a budget.
One such organization is KC Farm School, located in Kansas City, Kansas. For seven years, the nonprofit has been filling the gap in education, food accessibility, climate change solutions and community engagement.
“We wanted to engage the community in farming and in food production, no matter what point they are in that process,” said Lydia Nebel, farm director. “We do regenerative agriculture, we do composting, we teach students about where their food comes from and what happens to it.”
The school is located in the heart of Wyandotte County, where 18% of households are food insecure, according to a 2018 study by the county.
To achieve its mission, KC Farm School has a yearly budget of $1 million. The organization operates through donations and revenue raised through programs and selling its produce, but about $500,000 comes from a contractual agreement with the federal government.
Nebel said the news of the federal funding freezes has created a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. So far, KC Farm School has not heard of any contracts being canceled, but the school has stopped receiving reimbursements.
“If you wanna change the way things are going forward, that’s a discussion that can be had. But these contracts have already been written, they’ve already been signed by all parties,” Nebel said. “We are fulfilling our part of it and we are asking for, especially our congress members, to push back against this overreach and to say, 'Hey, we’ve already decided that that funding is good.'"
The school has already cut hours by 25%. If the funds do not come, KC Farm School will have to cut salaries and staffing. Right now, there are six full-time employees and three part-time employees that cater to about 10,000 visitors every year.
“It’s really hard to tell people we’re not certain," Nebel said. "It’s really hard to tell people you have to work even harder when they are already working harder."
Dawn Diaz, a social worker at Turner High School, has been bringing her students to the farm for several years. All of her students have special needs — some physical, some that cannot be seen. But on the farm, the land has always provided the same opportunities for all.
“Somewhere about 22% of all people that are disabled are employed,” Diaz said. “What’s been really amazing is, we’ve been able to have some of our students come here, get the experience and actually get employed here at the farm.”
The existence and support of KC Farm School has been profound for her students, so she hopes the funding freezes will not impact the nonprofit’s ability to continue its mission.
But for now, staff and long-time community members are holding on as the storm blows through, weathering what pours together.
“That would be heart breaking, it really would,” Diaz said. “I’m not quite sure what we would do next. We would scramble and try to find other locations, but I hope not.”
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